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Florence Delva/Getty Images A stack of coins is shown in this file photo. A new IRS rule that will start in 2012 will require sellers, buyers of gold coins to file IRS paperwork.

(Kitco News) Both chambers of the U.S. Congress have approved legislation to eliminate controversial new Form 1099 tax-reporting requirements that coin dealers and other business organizations had complained was too onerous.

The measure is on its way to the desk of President Obama after Senate passage by an 87-12 vote Tuesday. A number of news reports suggested that the White House is expected to sign the bill into law.

Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), who introduced Form 1099 repeal seven times, said the Senate measure was identical to a version that already passed the House of Representatives. This means the measure does not have to go to a conference committee and instead goes directly to the White House. An amendment that would have resulted in further delay of 1099 repeal was rejected, he said.

“I appreciate that my colleagues have seen the wisdom of avoiding further delays and getting this costly, looming paperwork burden off the backs of our job creators,” Johanns said. “We now need only a simple signature from the president and this bill will become law, saving jobs and much needed capital for our small businesses.”

The House passed a bill for repeal of the Form 1099 rules in early March. Both parties have favored repeal for months now, although it was held up by a fight over how to offset to any health-care funding that purportedly would be lost. According to news reports, the House and Senate bills would limit health-care subsidies for families over a certain income threshold.

The Industry Council for Tangible Assets said Tuesday night it was cautiously optimistic that the repeal will become law. ICTA is a trade group for the rare coin, precious metals and tangible assets industry.

The group noted that as of early last month, a statement of administration policy indicated that the White House did not agree with Read more…

With less than three weeks to strike a deal before government funding for the year is scheduled to expire, Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill are moving in opposite directions.

Lawmakers from both parties stress they want to avoid a rerun of the stalemate that led to a shutdown in late 1995 and early 1996. But the rhetoric on spending has escalated, and Democratic and GOP officials are already prepping for the blame game.

Positions have hardened after a revolt last week by House conservatives, who forced GOP leaders to nearly double their proposed spending cuts for 2011.

If the cuts pass the House, Senate Democrats say they are dead on arrival in the upper chamber.

“I think the direction of last week is the wrong direction and puts us closer on the path to a Read more…